Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2026 to Question 106604, whether growing revenue and delivering value for money for passengers carry equal priority in the rollout of Great British Railways branding.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As set out in the answers to the questions 100962 and 106604, both growing revenue and delivering value for money for passengers are priorities Ministers have set industry leaders delivering the rollout of the Great British Railways brand. These are not mutually exclusive. Industry leaders will balance revenue growth with value for money as we move towards a railway that delivers better for customers and taxpayers.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Rail Delivery Groups' updated fare search limits on (a) passenger choice, (b) the cost of rail fares and (c) levels of passenger demand.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) plays an important role in managing functions and services upon which train operators, retailers and passengers rely. The configuration of these systems is a matter for the RDG.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to rail fares in England, what the average percentage change was between July 2024 and the current fares period for a) Advance fares b) First Class fares c) Super Off-Peak fares, and what methodology was used to calculate these averages.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) publishes annual statistics measuring the change in prices charged by train operating companies to rail passengers in Great Britain. The annual statistical release is presented by sector, ticket type, class and regulated status. The rail fares index statistical release includes the methodology that the ORR uses.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2026 to Question 105289, how many meetings of the Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce have taken place since July 2024; on what dates those meetings occurred; and who was present.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The first meeting of the reconvened Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce was held on 30 January 2025, and a further meeting of the Taskforce will be convened in the near future to discuss next steps. Attendees at the 30th January meeting included representatives from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, the Greater London Authority, Transport for London, the Department for Transport, the Port of London Authority, the London Borough of Wandsworth, Historic England and the Environment Agency, as well as local Members of Parliament attending as observers.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2026 to Question 104872, when her Department expects to conclude its assessment of Transport for London’s proposal for Great Northern inner services.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department is continuing to review the proposal and is working with Transport for London to assess its benefits and wider implications, including the financial and operational impacts. No timeline for a decision has yet been set, but this work is continuing. This assessment will not affect preparations to bring Govia Thameslink Railway services into public ownership on 31 May 2026.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what percentage weighting is given to social value in the evaluation of bids under each Government-funded scheme supporting the procurement of new buses, including zero-emission, electric, hydrogen and hybrid buses.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Social value, through community benefits, was one of the criteria considered when assessing the Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) 2 funding announced in March 2024. The strategic case, including community benefits, had a 10% weighting. The published criteria can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-zero-emission-bus-funding-zebra-2/apply-for-zero-emission-bus-funding-zebra-2 . Previous rounds of ZEBRA funding did not explicitly assess social value.
Through the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel, which this Government launched in March 2025, my department is working with the sector to explore how best to consider social value in future bus procurement.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 105302 on Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Privatisation, what steps she is taking to mitigate for the loss of revenue to her Department from the privatisation of the Dartford-Thurrock Crossing.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Under the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model, ownership and operation of the Dartford Crossing would transfer to a new regulated private sector entity. This entity would be responsible for operating and maintaining both the Dartford Crossing and the new Lower Thames Crossing, ensuring a consistent and reliable service across both.
The entity would be overseen by an independent regulator to ensure it performs effectively and protects the interests of users. Charges collected from both the Dartford Crossing and the new Lower Thames Crossing would be received by the entity and used to maintain the crossings and support more reliable journeys.
This approach is designed to bring in private capital to fund the majority of construction, delivering better value for taxpayers and reducing pressure on public budgets. The Department has incorporated the effects of this approach into its financial forecasts and funding settlements with HM Treasury.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2026 to Question 105895 on National Highways and Network Rail: Finance, what estimate he has made of the net efficiency savings attributable to Network Rail after accounting for the up-front and ongoing costs of the technology and systems investments cited.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2026 to Question 105894, what estimate the Department has made of the proportion of efficiency savings attributed to regulated settlements that arise from funding constraints imposed by the Office of Rail and Road rather than from operational productivity improvements.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average grant-supported cost per bus was under each bus procurement scheme in each of the last five years; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of social value weightings on tendered prices.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.